Tobacco user&#39;s appliance



March 1943. F. DOUGHERTY 2,314,393 7 Q TOBACCO USERS APPLIANCE Filed Oct. 8, 1941 Patented Mar. 23, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

2,314,393 TOBACCO USER'S APPLIANCE Frank Dougherty, Huntington Park, Calif. Application October 8, 1941, Serial No. 414,197

The present invention relates to tobacco users appliances and refers particularly to a device for pressingthe loose tobacco back from the tip of a cigarette so that a clean tip is provided, free from the loose and straggly tobacco that would otherwise enter the smokers mouth.

An object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is light, compact, and of a size to be easily carried in a pocket or a purse.

A further object is to provide a device which is simple in construction and which may be easily and quickly operated to press back the loose tobacco from the tip of a cigarette without crumpling or damaging the cigarette paper.

While the present invention may, upon initial inspection, appear to resemble the usual cigarette holder, it is quite different in construction, as well as in its operation and function, from such a holder. For instance, a cigarette holder merely receives one end of a cigarette, whereas the present device is designed to embrace the entire cigarette. This comprises one of the main requisites of the present invention, which is necessary to prevent crumpling or bending of the cigarettes as they are being operated upon. Furthermore, the means for pressing the loose tobacco back from the tip of the cigarette must be of a size or diameter slightly less than that.

of the cigarette, so that it will function to press all of the tobacco without crumpling or mashing the cigarette paper.

The foregoing and other distinguishing features of theinvention will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter in association with the accompanying drawing in which:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, with a cigarette inserted within the tube, but before it has been operated upon;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing the presser head in the operation of pressing the tobacco back rom the tip of the cigarette, and

Figure 4 is an exploded view of the device.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral Ill designates generally the present construction including a tube II and a plunger I2 mounted in one end of the tube. The tube may be formed of any desired material, such as plastic or the like, and, as shown, is of substantially the same inside diameter throughout its length. The in side diameter of the tube, or at least the greater portion thereof, is substantially the same as the outside diameter of the usual type of cigarettes 3 Claims. (Cl.

now on the market. This portion of the tube is of suflicient length to wholly receive and completely encompass a cigarette. In this connection, while the tube of the present invention is of a size to receive the usual type of cigarettes, it is to be understood-that it may be made of any suitable predetermined length to accommodate those cigarettes now appearing on the market which are of greater length than the common type of cigarette.

At a point within the tube, slightly spacedfrom the point where the inner end of an inserted cigarette wouldterminate, there is provided a partition or washer 13 which may be secured within the tube in any suitable manner, such as by cement or the like, the main requisite being that the partition be sufiiciently anchored to withstand the pressure exerted on it by the plunger, as will be presently described in detail. The partition I3 is provided with a central bore or opening I4 for the reception of a pin or stemv l5. One end of this stem is received within an opening in the inner end of the plunger I2 and is removably or otherwise anchored therein in any suitable manner.

The diameter of the bore or opening it of the partition is substantially that of the diameter of the pin l5, so that there will be only suflicient clearance for the pin to slide through the bore without any lateral play. In this connection, it will also be observed that the outside diameter of the plunger I2 is substantially that of the inside diameter of the tube, so that there will also be a close sliding fit between these elements without any lateral play or movement.

A presser head I6 is mounted upon the free end of the pin l5 upon the opposite side of the partition l3 from the plunger l2. It is important' that this head be of a diameter slightly less than that of the cigarette paper, but at the same time of suflicient area to contact all of the exposed tobacco containedwithin the cigarette paper. Thus when the plunger is operated to press the head It against the inner confined end of the cigarette, the head will move within the cigarette paper without crumpling, mashing, or in any way damaging the paper, but at the same time pressing the loose tobacco back from theedge or tip of the cigarette, as clearly shown in Fi ure 3.

In order that the plunger l2 may normally be positioned with its outer end projecting beyond one end of the tube II, a coil spring I! is mounted within the tube on the stem I5 between the inner end of the plunger and the partition l3.

In the position shown in Figure 2, the spring is preferably not under compression, but is of sufiicient length to normally maintain the plunger in a position where the greater portion is exposed and projected beyond the end of the tube.

With the construction as above disclosed, and assuming that it is desired to compress the loose tobacco away from the tip of the cigarette iii, the cigarette is first inserted into the tube until it is completely embraced thereby, with its outer end flush with the end of the tube. In this position, the presser head IE will be slightly removed from the inner end Figure 2). It is necessary that the index or any other finger of one hand, preferably the left, be held over the end of the tube, as also disclosed in Figure 2. Thereafter, the plunger is pushed into the tube against the compression of the spring in any desired manner. This may be easily accomplished by balancing the tube, between the middle finger and thumb of the left handand then pressing on the plunger with the index finger of the right hand. This action moves the pin and presser head. HS in a straight line to the position shown in Figure 3, whereby the presser head will enter the cigarette paper and press back all of the loose tobacco Without crumpling or in any way disturbing the paper. This pressing action may be repeated several times to insure that the loose sufiiciently pressed away from the tip or end of the cigarette paper. Thereafter, by removing the finger of the left hand and again pressing on the plunger I2, the presser head will push the cigarette partially out of the tube, so that it may be conveniently grasped and entirely removed.

This operation may be repeated as desired, and since the device is quite light and compact, it may be carried by the. smoker, so that it can be used whenever necessary. It will be observed that the present device is quite difierent in construction and formation from the usual cigarette holder. Where the cigarette-receiving end of a cigarette holder must necessarily be tapered to receive and anchor an end of the cigarette, it is a primary requisite of the present construction that the tube I I be of sufiicient length to completely receive and encompass a cigarette and that the inside diameter stantially that of the outside diameter of the cigarette. This is to insure a close sliding fit between the tube and the cigarette sufficient to permit the ready introduction and discharge of the cigarette, but at the same time preventing any crumpling or bending of the cigarette when pressure is applied to the inner end thereof. It is also necessary that the plunger and stem have a close sliding fit with the tube and the bore of the partition respectively, so that when the plunger is pressed inwardly, there will be no lateral play in the stem which would tend to move the presser head on a, slant as it is entering the end of the cigarette.

It is to .be understood that the tube may be formed of any desired material and of suflicient length to accommodate the type of cigarette to be operated upon. It is to be further understood that the invention is not limited to the details of the cigarette (see tobacco has been a of the tube be subof construction shown in the drawing, and that the phraseology employed in the specification is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a tube of sufiicient length to completely receive a cigarette, the inside diameter of the tube being substantially the same as the outside diameter of the cigarette, and means associated with said tube for engaging and pressing the tobacco back from the tip of the cigarette paper without damaging or mashing the paper or the cigarette, said means including a plunger slidably mounted in the tube and having its outer end normally projecting out of the tube, the inner end of said plunger being of a diameter slightly less than that of the cigarette paper surrounding the tobacco, whereby upon movement of the plunger toward a cigarette positioned in the tube, the inner end of the plunger will enter the cigarette and press the tobacco back from the tip of the cigarette paper without damaging or mashing the paper or the cigarette.

2. A device of the character described comprising a tube of sufiicient length to completely receive a cigarette, the inside diameter of the tube being substantially the same as the outside diameter of the cigarette, a plunger slidably mounted in the tube and having a portion thereof normally projecting out of one end of the tube, said portion being of substantially the same diameter as the inside diameter of the tube, said plunger having a reduced portion movable through a restricted portion of the tube, and a presser head connected to the free end of the reduced portion of the plunger, said head being of a diameter slightly less than that of the cigarette to be operated on, whereby upon movement of the plunger toward a cigarette positioned in the tube, the head will enter the cigarette and press the tobacco back from the tip of the cigarette paper Without damaging or mashing the paper or the cigarette.

3. A device of the character described comprising a tube of sufiicient length to completely receive a cigarette, the inside diameter of the tube being substantially the same as the outside diameter of the cigarette, a plunger slidably mounted in the tube and having a portion thereof normally projecting out of one end of the tube, said portion being of substantially the same diameter as the inside diameter of the tube, an apertured partition positioned interiorly of the tube, a pin passing through the partition and connected to said plunger, a presser head mounted on the free end of the pin on the opposite side of the partition from the plunger and of a diameter slightly less than that of the cigarette to be operated on, whereby upon movement of the plunger toward a cigarette positioned in the tube, the head will enter the cigarette and press .the tobacco back from the tip of the cigarette paper without damaging or mashing the. paper'or the cigarette, and a spring mounted in the tube between the partition and the inner end of the plunger and normally urging the outer end of the plunger out of an end of the tube.

FRANK DOUGHERTY. 

